The subject matter disclosed herein relates to circuit breakers and, more particularly to a mounting assembly for mounting a circuit breaker mechanism to a base.
Circuit breakers are used to protect equipment from overcurrent situations caused, for example, by short circuits or ground faults in or near such equipment. A circuit breaker may be manually switched from an “ON” condition to an “OFF” condition and vice versa. Additionally, the circuit breaker includes a mechanism that is configured to automatically switch the circuit breaker to an “OFF” (e.g., “TRIP”) position in response to an undesirable operating situation, such as a short circuit, for example.
The mechanism is mounted to a base of the circuit breaker typically in one of two manners. First, the mechanism may be mounted directly to the base at a position close to several “live” components of the circuit breaker that are located on or within the base. Second, the mechanism may be isolated from the “live” components by mounting the mechanism on an outer surface of a mid-cover that is coupled to the base. Isolating the mechanism is desirable, but such a mounting configuration requires several intermediate mounting components to electrically connect the mechanism to the base. Any system employing a number of components attached to each other will exhibit tolerance stack-up. Reducing the effect of undesirable tolerance stack up is generally effected through more precise manufacturing processes. Therefore, achieving the benefit of isolation associated with mounting on the outer surface of a mid-cover is tempered by increased manufacturing challenges and cost.